Black-out control system



0 7, 'F. B BLACK-OUT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 21, 1942 INVENTOR 3/114, 6. M BY 43 ATTCRNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLACK-OUT CONTROL SYSTEM Fred B. Aubert, Grosse Pointe, Mich. Application April 21, 1942, SerialNo. 439,899, 9 Claims. (Cl. 171-97) This invention relates to an electrical circuit controlling system and more particularly to a system which has already been installed and wherein it is desired to control one or more circuits.

The system is especially useful in blacking-out, during an air raid, desired light and other circuits in buildings which have been constructed and equipped with the usual wiring for light and power circuits. The system is also highly desirable for' blacking-out electrically illuminated sign boards and advertising displays which may be included in a circuit system which it is desired to maintain energized.

One object of the invention is to provide means bywhich one or more selected normally closed circuits can be automatically interrupted and reinstated.

Another object is to provide a control system by which the main circuit controlling switch can be utilized as the control initiating device.

Another object is to provide a system in which branch circuits can be controlled from a remote central station.

The invention consists in the novel circuit arrangement and in the control means operative therein and supervising energization.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of this specification, there are fully and clearly illustrated several preferred embodiments of; the invention, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the installation of the control system;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic detail View showing a control device of the system in black-out position;

-Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic detail view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the control means in a main circuit open position, and

Fig. 4 is a detail diagrammatic View of another form of control means for use in the system.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, l designates generally a building such as a residence, oiiice building or factory having a basement room 2 below or partly below the ground level 3, a first floor having rooms 4, 5 and a second floor having rooms 6, 1. Leading into the room 2 from the exterior of the building there is a main electric power line having lead wires 8, 3 controlled by a main switch 10 at the control station. The switch controls current flow to a fuse panel I I having terminals l2, l3, l4 and I connected by a lead wire IE to the switch II! for connection to lead wire 9. The panel also hasterminals ll, l8, l9 and 20.paired respectively with the terminals l2, l3, l4 and- I5 and which are connected to a return lead wire 2| connecting to the switch Wand therethrough to the lead wire 8. Connected across the terminals l2 and IT by lead wires 22, 23-respectively there is an electric power operated or motor driven means 24, such as an electric refrigerator, positioned within the first floor room 4. The terminals I3 and I3 have lead wires 25, 26- respectively connected theretofrom which branch lead wires 21, 28 are connected to a light bulb 29 in the room 4, a control switch 30' being. positioned in the lead. wire 21 and controllingoperation of the light bulb 29; From the wires 25, 26 there also extend lead wires 3|, 32 respectively toa light bulb 33 in the room 5 and controlled by a switch. 34 in' the lead wire 3|. The circuit 25, His controlled by apcontrol device 34 positioned in the room 2 and having a relay switch 35; The terminal I8 is connected to the return line wire 2| through the relay switch 35 hav-, ing contacts 36, 31- connected by lead wires 38, 39 respectively to the terminal IB- and to the wire 2|. The contactf36- is carried by the pivoted relay operating arm or armature 40' and urged toward open position by aspring 4|. An electro magnet42 cooperates with the armature 40" to pull the contacts 36,,3-1 into circuit closed position and is energized-through lead wires 43, 44 connected to the switch III' by lead wires I6 and 2| respectively. there is anelectrica-lly energized stop means 45 which includes an electro-magnet 46 and an armature 4T urged by a spring. 48 out of blocking or stopping position and into engagement withanadjustable stop screw 49. The armature 47 carries a resilient member 50, such as a leaf. spring, which, when the contacts 36; 31 are closed, is in tensioned abutting engagement with the end of the arm 40-. The spring 50:. is however of such length that when themagnet is deenergized, the arm 43. will move sufficiently so that inherent resilience of spring 50 will move it into vertical or endwise opposing relation to' the arm 40 so that the contactsi36, 31: are blocked'from movement to closed position as in' Fig. 2. The magnet lli is energized. by direct current from any suitable source; such as a fulilwave' rectifier 5|, which is connected by leadwires 52,v 53' to the lead wires I 6, 24 respectively. Connected across the lead wires 54, 55' from the rectifier to the magnet 46 and in parallel therewith there is a fixed:condenserSGwhichservesto delay energization oithemagnetAB upon closure of the switch "land which serves to maintain the mag.-

Cooperable with the arm 40 net 46 energized, i. e. its deenergization is delayed,

for a time period following opening of the switch it). The terminals l4 and [9 are connected by lead wires 51, 58 respectively to a fuse panel 59 positioned on the second floor, for example, and in the room 1. The fuse panel terminals 60, 6| to which the lead wires 57, 58 respectively are connected, are connected in the room 6 by the lead wires 62, 63 to a light bulb 64 which is controlled by a switch 65 in the lead wire 62. Other terminals 66, 61 of panel 59 are connected by lead wires 68, 66 respectively to a light bulb 10 in the room 1, this bulb being controlled by a,

switch H in the lead wire 68. The circuit 68, 69 of bulb H! is controlled by a control device l2 39'and 38', 39' are maintained open. This will result in the lights 64 and i6 and the power means 24 being maintained energized and the lights 26, 33 and 10 being blacked-out or extinguished. 7

When the operator is advised that illumination of the bulbs 2 6-3 and i6 is again permissible as by the all clear signal, the switch l6 will be opened and held open for a sufiicient time of say five to ten seconds, which will be suliicient to discharge the condensers 56, 56'. The armatures 41, 41 will, therefore, be released by their 1' respective magnets 46, 46 and move to the posisimilar in all respects to the control device 34*,

and therefore repetition of description being unnecessary the primes of reference characters applied to device 34 designate like parts in the device 12. The terminal 61 is connected by lead wire 38 to the relay switch terminal 36. From the'relay fixed contact 31' the lead wire 39' connects to the lead wire 58 through a lead wire 13. The lead wire 51 is connected by a lead wire 14 to the rectifier lead wire 52 and the magnet lead The lead wire 51 is connected to the Wire 43'; lead wire 68 by a lead wire 15 connected between the terminals 60 and 66. The light bulb 16 in the basement room 2 is connected by lead wires 11 and 18 to the panel terminals 26 and I5 respectively, The fuse panels H and 59 are provided with the usual power limiting safety fuses,

as is diagrammatically illustrated.

The operation of the black-out controlsystem is as follows: Assuming that the main switch I0 is closed, as shown, so that power is supplied from the main line 8, 9 to the panel H, the control devices 34 and H2 will each be in the positions shown, and since each of switches 36, 34, 65 andll is closed, current will be supplied to each of the power consuming devices in the building I. If new information is received by the operator stationed at, or promptly arriving at, the switch 16 that the light sources or bulbs in thoserooms which are not protected against light leakage to the exterior of the building are to be extinguished or blacked-out, then the operator will manipulate the system as follows: The switch II] will be. opened and substantially instantaneously closed or with a delay which is not longer than the time period during which the condensers 56 and 56' can maintain energized the electro-magnets 46 and 46' respectively. Accordingly, the opening of switch ID will instantaneously deenergize; the relay switch magnets 42 and 42' so that thearmatures 46 and 46 will be moved upward to circuit opened position, as shown in Fig. 3, under the force of their springs 4| and 4| respectively, Since the magnets 46 and 46' are maintained energized by the condensers 56 and 56 respectively the leaf springs 56, 56' respectively will snap into blocking position, as in Fig. 2, and be in the path of closing movement of the arms 46, 46 respectively. As the switch I0 is immediately closed upon opening of th witches 35 and 35', the current flow to the rectifiers 5|, 5|

will be reinstated so that the armatures 41,41

will be held without movement in the position of Figs. 1 and 2. The closure of switch [0, of

ing position the armatures 40, 46' can only be pulled by theirrespective magnets into abutting engagement with the ends of the armature leaf springs 56, 56 and, accordingly, thecircuits 38,

7 tion shown in Fig. 3.

. ticn shown in Fig. 3, the armatures 40, 40' having prior thereto, of course, moved to the posi- If new the switch I0 is closed, the condensers 56, 56 will delay the reenergization of magnets 46, 46' upon the reenergization of the magnets 42, 42' so that the armatures 40, 46 will move to closed position and into the path of movement of the leaf sp gs 50,

respectively so that when the magnets 46, 46' are' energized, the leaf springs 50, 56 will again be tensioned, as in Fig. 1, against the armatures 40,

40' and be in the ready position for blocking the armatures in open circuit position upon reopening of the switch 16. 1 1 I The form of invention shown'in Fig. 4 utilizes, in lieu of the magnet 46 and armature 41 and the rectifier 5!, an electrically energized heat motor' 80, such as a bimetal warping blade, having a resistance heat coil 8| connected by lead wires 82, 83 to the lead wires [6, 2| respectively. The

bimetal blade 86 is cooperable with the armature- 40 of the relay switch 36 in the same manne as the leaf spring 50. It will be apparent that upon' opening of the main switch I6 that the tensioned blade will snap into vertical position and endwise blocking relation to the return closing movement of the relay-armature 40. Since the blade 80 will take an appreciable time to cool after opening of the switch Ill, the switch l0 may be closed to reenergize the coil BI and the current consuming means 24, 64 and-l6 before the blade .80 moves out of opposing relation to closure of the switch contacts 36, '31.

reinstated by opening switch l0 and then delaying its closure for a sufiicient time to permit the bimetal blade 86' to cool so'that it moves to the dotted line position designated 84 which is out of A blocking relation to the armature '40. Thereupon, closure of switch lll will result in the parts again taking the position of Fig. 4 with all of the building circuits again supplied from the main line lead wires 8, 9.

Having thus described my invention, what-is claimed and is desired to be securedby Letters having another circuit to'be'maintained oper ative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switchcontrolling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts con-.

nected in and controllingthe controlled circuit,

said relay switch being electrically connected to;

and controlled by said main switch, and electrically operated means controlled by said main' switch and controlling closure of said relay switch. 2. In an electrically operated black-out c'o n-- trolsystem having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will. 7

It will also be apparent that the blacked-out circuits canbecontrol and having another circuit to be maintained perative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit, said relay Switch being electrically connected to and controlled by said main switch, and electrically operated delayed action means controlled by said main switch and controlling closure of said relay switch, said delayed action means moving upon opening of said main switch, first into and then out of opposing relation to closure of said relay Switch.

3. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit, said relay switch being electrically connected to and controlled by said main switch, stop means movable into and out of opposing relation to closure of said contacts, and electrically operated means controlled by said main switch and controlling operation of said stop means.

4. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit, said relay switch being electrically connected to and controlled by said main switch, stop means movable into and out of opposing relation to closure of said contacts, electro-magnetic means controlling operation of said stop means, means to supply direct current to said electro-magnetic means and controlled by said main switch, and a condenser in parallel circuit with said electromagnetic means to delay operation of said stop means upon opening and closing of said main switch.

5. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit and having an operating arm, delayed-action stop means controlled by said main switch and having a resilient portion movable into a blocking position in the path of contact closing movement of said relay switch, said arm having a portion positioned in the path of movement into blocking position of said resilient portion when said contacts are closed, said delayed-action means moving said resilient portion toward blocking position subsequent to closure of said contacts so that said resilient portion is tensioned against said arm, said delayed-action means holding said resilient portion in position for movement under its resilience into blocking position upon opening of the main switch.

6. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit and having an operating arm, an electromagnet controlled by said main switch, an armature operable by said electro-magnet and having a resilient portion movable into a blocking position in the path of contact closing movement of said arm, said arm having a portion positioned in the path of movement into blocking position of said resilient portion when said contacts are closed, and means to delay movement of said armature upon operation of said main switch so that said arm will be positioned to block said resilient portion upon closure of said main switch and said resilient portion will move into blocking position upon opening of said main switch.

7. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit and having an operating arm, an electromagnet controlled by said main switch, an armature operable by said electro-magnet and having a resilient portion movable into a blocking position in the path of contact closing movement of said arm, said arm having a portion positioned in the path of movement into blocking position of said resilient portion when said contacts are closed, and a condenser in parallel circuit with said electro-magnet to delay movement of said armature upon operation of said main switch so that said arm will be positioned to block said resilient portion upon closure of said main switch and said resilient portion will move into blocking position upon opening of said main switch.

8. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit and having an operating arm, resilient stop means movable into position to block closure of said contacts when said contacts are in open position, said operating arm blocking movement of said stop means into blocking position when said contacts are in closed position, electrically operable means controlled by said main switch and operable to move said stop means toward and from its blocking position and to hold said stop means tensioned against said arm, and means to delay energization and deenergization of said electrically controlled means upon closing and opening respectively of said main switch so that upon quick successive opening and closing of said main switch, said relay switch will open and be blocked open and so that upon opening and delayed closing of said main switch, said relay switch will be closed.

9. In an electrically operated black-out control system having a controlled circuit to be interrupted and reinstated automatically at will and having another circuit to be maintained operative during black-out of the controlled circuit, a main switch controlling the current supply to the circuits, a relay switch having contacts connected in and controlling the controlled circuit and having an operating arm, resilient stop means trolled by said main switch, and a condenser 10 in parallelicircuit with said electro-magnet to dela energization and deenergization of said electro-magnet upon closing and. opening respectively of said main switch so that upon quick suc cessive opening and closing of said main switch,

said relay switch will open and be blocked open andso that upon opening and delayed closing of said main switch, said relay switch will be closed.

' FRED B. AUBERT. 

